Yosemite National Park is one of the gems of the U.S. National Park Service and one of the first national parks established in the country. A special project of naturalist John Muir, Yosemite is known for three magnificent waterfalls, meadows, valleys, giant sequoias and wilderness area. Located 300 miles east of San Francisco, Yosemite National Park offers many opportunities for campers to enjoy the exquisite natural beauty of their surroundings.
About Yosemite
The National Park Service manages the 1,200 square miles of Yosemite National Park.
Hiking, biking, bird-watching, fishing, horseback riding, water sports and winter sports are all available within the park grounds. Guided tours and interpretive programs are available. Scaling the Half Dome at Yosemite is one of the most popular activities at the park. Shuttle buses operate throughout the park for visitors' convenience. You can reach Yosemite National Park from several airports in California, including Fresno, Merced, San Jose, San Francisco and Sacramento, according to the National Park Service site.
Camping at Yosemite
Yosemite has 13 campgrounds, seven of which are on the reservation system that should be booked early. The others are on a first-come, first-served basis and are often filled by noon from May to September.
No Reservation Campgrounds
During the summer months, seven campgrounds are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Only two of these can accommodate RVs. Porcupine Flat has limited space for RVs up to 24 feet and trailers up to 20 feet. Tuolumne Meadows can accommodate RVs and trailers up to 35 feet. According to the National Park Service RV camping page, hook-ups are not available at the park, but there are three dump stations for use.
Campgrounds with Reservations
You must reserve your site for Yosemite's campgrounds according to the schedule on their website. Reservations can be made online or by phone. Blocks up to one month at a time can be reserved. Weekends and holidays reservations are often filled the day they become available.
Wilderness Camping
Camping used to be unrestricted throughout the Yosemite National Park, but this became so damaging to the environment that some restrictions had to be imposed. Permits are now required for wilderness camping, and camping is not allowed between Yosemite Valley and Little Yosemite Valley, on Half Dome or Lost Lake.
Campgrounds Outside the Park
If you are unable to get reservations at Yosemite or find the first-come/first-served sites are filled, you may be able to find a site at one of the campgrounds outside the park. Yosemite-Mariposa KOA, northeast of Mariposa, has sites sheltered by pines, a swimming pool, playground and hiking trail. Cable TV and 50-amp service are available. High Sierra RV & Mobile Park offers swimming, fishing and riverfront sites, and it can accommodate big rigs.
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